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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Cleared?

Just for the record, Basso has not been cleared as the various websites seem to be reporting.

Teams react to Basso signing

Discovery Channel’s signing of Ivan Basso has not met with a positive response from the rest of the ProTour teams. Although Basso was cleared in the Operación Puerto blood doping affair, it seems a few teams believe suspicion remains on Basso’s shoulders. Other teams are reserving their judgment for the time being.

T-Mobile issued a statement expressing concern over the signing of the Italian. “We can't comment on the Basso case without knowing the details," said the team’s communications director Christian Frommert. "But we are still worried as to whether the sport will be able to effectively fight against doping. We need firm alliances for that."

T-Mobile’s new directeur sportif, Rolf Aldag, spoke to Express before the signing was officially confirmed. “For me it’s inconceivable that Basso should sign for Discovery...Basso and also Jan Ullrich should prove their innocence, and only then should they be of interest again.”

Francaise des Jeux team manager Marc Madiot was quoted by L’Equipe as saying, "I'm annoyed that what we agreed on has not been respected.” Madiot believed that Basso should submit to a DNA test to clarify any doubts about whether he was involved in Operación Puerto.

Milram’s manager Gianluigi Stanga told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "We need to know if Basso was asked to submit a DNA sample or not. If not then it is clear that Discovery did not adhere to the verbal agreement that the teams had made at the meeting in Paris at the end of October.”

It’s not yet clear whether Discovery will require Basso to have a DNA test. That may depend on the outcome of a meeting between the UCI, the professional teams association (AIGCP), and the professional cyclists association (CPA) in Geneva on Friday. The representatives of various parts of professional cycling will discuss whether compulsory DNA testing will be introduced to the peloton.

The Italian Federation has simply decided not to proceed suspend him or proceed with the investigation because they have not recieved the documents they need from Spain. The Spanish officials have not sent these because they haven't finished their investigation or conducted the trial yet. That's not to say that Basso is guilty. It means the Federation doesn't have the information to make a decision either way.

I think suspending the Federation's inquiry is the right thing to do... it could take years for the spanish judiciary to finish their proceedings and it's unfair IMO to suspend them on a suspicion of guilt. But they certainly haven't been absolved.